ARKEMA'S ELIUM^® THERMOPLASTIC RECYCLABLE RESIN EMPOWERS CIRCULAR DEVELOPMENT OF WIND TURBINE BLADES

As the latest thermoplastic recyclable blade launched in China, the product developed by Sinoma Blade is nearly 100 meters long, breaking the global thermoplastic composite wind turbine blade length record. It is a new breakthrough in the application of new green materials for wind turbine blades and provides a new opportunity for the domestic wind power industry. This marks a milestone in the industry’s circular, low-carbon development.

“In coming decades, wind power will play a key role in the energy mix. Arkema is actively encouraging the wind power industry toward recyclable development and is committed to helping wind power maximize sustainability at every stage of its life cycle,” said Julie Xiaoyu ZHANG, President of Arkema China, “Sinoma Blade’s successful production of nearly 100 meters of recyclable wind power blades is also a major step forward for Arkema. We will continue to develop, innovate, and work with leading domestic and foreign partners to jointly address multiple challenges in the wind power field so to truly achieve sustainable development.”

Elium^® liquid resin is the flagship product of Arkema’s range of thermoplastic matrixes, it is suitable for the manufacture of a wide variety of composite parts and can be cured at room temperature, with short curing times, unlocking significant industrial and energy gains compared to current epoxy composite-based processes.

It is worth noting that Elium^® resin also has a huge advantage: it can be recycled through advanced physical or chemical processes. The thermoplastic characteristics of Elium^® provide a variety of physical methods for its composite recycling, including heating and reshaping, heat pressing, granulation as well as injection molding. The chemical recycling process involves complete depolymerization of solid resin, separation of resin and fibers, depolymerization during the resin production process for high-value reuse, and enabling fiber to be obtained and recycled, all while the recycled resin has the same properties as resin in its original form.

The current rapid development of wind power generation has driven a growing pursuit in finding solutions capable of effectively recycle and process large quantities of discarded blades. Arkema's groundbreaking and innovative technology has broken this impasse, the recyclable properties of Elium® resin are perfectly suited to supporting the circular economy, providing a unique solution for waste component management, and becoming one of the core areas for wind power generation and recycling.

Arkema is also promoting the establishment of wind turbine blade production and recycling processes globally through in-depth innovation. Thanks to various cooperation projects with leading partners including Chongqing Polycomp International Corp. (CPIC), Arkema has been able to ensure technical and economic feasibility of products. This enables the company to further contribute to the development of environmentally friendly and sustainable wind power solutions. Last year, ZEBRA (Zero wastE Blade ReseArch) project, in which Arkema participates in, launched the first prototype of a 100% recyclable wind turbine blade, the blade is also made of Elium® liquid resin.

At the Capital Markets Day held in September, Arkema once again clarified its vision of "Innovative materials for a sustainable world" and will firmly focus on high-performance materials and sustainable solutions to achieve organic growth. The successful rollout of Sinoma Blade’s nearly 100 meters of recyclable wind turbine blades is an important milestone for Arkema in encouraging renewable and low-carbon economies. In the future, Arkema will continue to work with innovative partners at home and abroad to jointly promote the sustainable transformation of the wind power industry.